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Heirs of Anton #4
Oksana
The fate of generations of Anton Klassen's heirs for years to come rests in the decisions he makes amidst revolutionary battles to love and protect one woman. But not even his promise to love can make Oksana feel safe with the secrets she harbors- secrets could alter the course of Russian's future.
286 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2014
81 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Susan K. Downs
29 books21 followersSUSAN K. DOWNS resides in Canton, Ohio, where her husband serves as a district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene. This mother of five and grandmother of one traded her career as an international adoption program coordinator for one as a writer and editor, but she still loves to visit Russia. . .if only by way of her imagination.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 16, 2015
#4 Heirs of Anton
I found it a fascinating idea that the authors came up with for the basis of the story.
Oksana is set at the start of the Russian Revolution, when Tsar Nikolai II abdicates, he & his family are put under house arrest and eventually they are all assasinated.
But what if one of his servants, a lookalike to his eldest daughter, agrees to swap places, allowing one of the Romanovs to be free?
A story of sacrificial love - from Oksana, the servant girl who gives up her chance for freedom and her name so that Olga may go free; and from Anton, the Mennonite who the Tsar meets and asks to take charge of this special servant girl for him as well as his jewelled crest, not realising it is the grand duchess Olga he is going to be protecting.
I got completely caught up in this story. I loved Anton - he was a wonderful hero! I found the history fascinating, and learnt quite a bit about what went on during the Revolution, which laid the foundation for Communism.
I'm now looking forward to reading the rest in this series, especially as I was left with an "Oh NO!" moment at the end!
The authors have done an unusual thing in a series, starting in the modern day, and gradually going back in time down the generations. My sister read them in the published order, then went back and read them in chronological order. She suggested I would probably like to read them in chronological order, which is why I started with #4 instead of #1!
Heirs of Anton
#1
#2
#3
#4
I found it a fascinating idea that the authors came up with for the basis of the story.
Oksana is set at the start of the Russian Revolution, when Tsar Nikolai II abdicates, he & his family are put under house arrest and eventually they are all assasinated.
But what if one of his servants, a lookalike to his eldest daughter, agrees to swap places, allowing one of the Romanovs to be free?
A story of sacrificial love - from Oksana, the servant girl who gives up her chance for freedom and her name so that Olga may go free; and from Anton, the Mennonite who the Tsar meets and asks to take charge of this special servant girl for him as well as his jewelled crest, not realising it is the grand duchess Olga he is going to be protecting.
I got completely caught up in this story. I loved Anton - he was a wonderful hero! I found the history fascinating, and learnt quite a bit about what went on during the Revolution, which laid the foundation for Communism.
I'm now looking forward to reading the rest in this series, especially as I was left with an "Oh NO!" moment at the end!
The authors have done an unusual thing in a series, starting in the modern day, and gradually going back in time down the generations. My sister read them in the published order, then went back and read them in chronological order. She suggested I would probably like to read them in chronological order, which is why I started with #4 instead of #1!
Heirs of Anton
#1
#2
#3
#4
November 3, 2015
Such a fabulous series. I loved every one of the books and highly recommend them!!!
November 15, 2024
Great read
Set during the Russian Revolution, this was a great read involving a unique twist, a great plot line, secrets, and surprises. You can read this series from modern times to historical and/or vice versa.
Set during the Russian Revolution, this was a great read involving a unique twist, a great plot line, secrets, and surprises. You can read this series from modern times to historical and/or vice versa.
March 17, 2024
Even when a fiction series is complete, I usually mix up my reading with books by different authors rather than read two books from the same series back to back. I made an exception with this book, jumping right into it after I finished the one before it.
This historical fiction novel, fourth in the Heirs of Anton family saga, can technically be read as a standalone. And it's where I would have ended this ChristFic series if I'd either started at the beginning or if Book Three hadn't enthralled me the way it did and left me with questions I'm assuming are answered in Book One—since this is a series that gradually goes backward in history rather than forward.
So. After reading Books Two through Four, yeah. I'll be going back—but forward in time—to finish the saga with the first novel.
My goodness. This has been a lot so far. A good lot for my soul.
Considering what's revealed about the past in the two books before this one, I was amazed to find the surprises this novel still held for me. In particular, two major ones at critical parts of the story.
Pretty genius plotting on the authors' part, if you ask me.
Now, the writing is a little repetitive at times, including where it's apparently meant to drive home one of the big plot twists. On a different note, after the nature of suspense and spy/wartime action in the previous two novels, this read was a slower one for me for much of the first third or so. Also unlike in the previous two books, the key love story in this one doesn't really get going until around halfway through the novel.
Nevertheless, the substance overall, the richness of the family story that carries over into future generations... It's indeed a good lot.
So good that, instead of taking a break with a book by a different author, I'm going to go right ahead and finish this series first.
This historical fiction novel, fourth in the Heirs of Anton family saga, can technically be read as a standalone. And it's where I would have ended this ChristFic series if I'd either started at the beginning or if Book Three hadn't enthralled me the way it did and left me with questions I'm assuming are answered in Book One—since this is a series that gradually goes backward in history rather than forward.
So. After reading Books Two through Four, yeah. I'll be going back—but forward in time—to finish the saga with the first novel.
My goodness. This has been a lot so far. A good lot for my soul.
Considering what's revealed about the past in the two books before this one, I was amazed to find the surprises this novel still held for me. In particular, two major ones at critical parts of the story.
Pretty genius plotting on the authors' part, if you ask me.
Now, the writing is a little repetitive at times, including where it's apparently meant to drive home one of the big plot twists. On a different note, after the nature of suspense and spy/wartime action in the previous two novels, this read was a slower one for me for much of the first third or so. Also unlike in the previous two books, the key love story in this one doesn't really get going until around halfway through the novel.
Nevertheless, the substance overall, the richness of the family story that carries over into future generations... It's indeed a good lot.
So good that, instead of taking a break with a book by a different author, I'm going to go right ahead and finish this series first.
October 9, 2025
Well this was a great ending to the series.
While it wasn't my favorite of the four books, it really tied them all together. Though I do wish there was some sort of present-day recap at the end, since each book went further back in time.
Anton and Olga's story is one of patience and loss and love. Of God's faithfulness and His enduring love. Man, was it emotional. This book had some HEAVY topics (SA, war violence, loss and grief) but it was handled very tastefully.
This is set in Russia during WW1 and the Russian Revolution which was quite fascinating to me. There is hidden identity, Anton is ranked by the tsar himself to protect the princess (though he doesn't know that's who she is) and they fall in love. With no titles and expectations they fall in love. (If you like marriage of convenience, you'll like this)
I would say this is a pretty serious and heavy book, there are happy parts and hope is an overarching theme throughout the series. It was really interesting how each book went further back in time and we got to see four generations of the class and family. However, I do still feel like I have some questions/ didn't get the closure I wanted. And there are some things from the first book that I may not remember fully, simply because I read it a month ago.
But still a wonderful book. Really had be concerned for a minute at the end.
While it wasn't my favorite of the four books, it really tied them all together. Though I do wish there was some sort of present-day recap at the end, since each book went further back in time.
Anton and Olga's story is one of patience and loss and love. Of God's faithfulness and His enduring love. Man, was it emotional. This book had some HEAVY topics (SA, war violence, loss and grief) but it was handled very tastefully.
This is set in Russia during WW1 and the Russian Revolution which was quite fascinating to me. There is hidden identity, Anton is ranked by the tsar himself to protect the princess (though he doesn't know that's who she is) and they fall in love. With no titles and expectations they fall in love. (If you like marriage of convenience, you'll like this)
I would say this is a pretty serious and heavy book, there are happy parts and hope is an overarching theme throughout the series. It was really interesting how each book went further back in time and we got to see four generations of the class and family. However, I do still feel like I have some questions/ didn't get the closure I wanted. And there are some things from the first book that I may not remember fully, simply because I read it a month ago.
But still a wonderful book. Really had be concerned for a minute at the end.
January 19, 2015
The Book
Uprising occurs. The Royal Family of Romanov in Russia is being expelled. The Tsar Niolai Romanov encounters a young Mennonite, Anton Klassen. Or it could be the other way around when Anton runs across the Tsar in a wooded area. Anton agrees to protect and escort two of the Tsar's servants, Oksana and Yulia, to safety.
Oksana has secrets. Secrets she feels she must keep, even from Anton. She is the Grand Duchess of Russia. Anton is loyal to his oath to the Tsar in protecting, who he thinks is a Palace servant.
My Thoughts
Questions were answered from the first book of the series. How the mystery is answered was a master piece of brilliant writing. I was on the edge of my seat as I raced through this book. It was emotional, twists were sharp and the depth was gripping. I will miss the characters that I grew to love. Even though I know this story was fictional I feel I know a little more about the history of Russia. The land and it's people, especially the Royal family of the Tsar is colorful. I will learn more about the history in the months to come. My interest is pregnant and will be delivered. This book was truly a masterpiece, one that I'll remember for a long time.
Uprising occurs. The Royal Family of Romanov in Russia is being expelled. The Tsar Niolai Romanov encounters a young Mennonite, Anton Klassen. Or it could be the other way around when Anton runs across the Tsar in a wooded area. Anton agrees to protect and escort two of the Tsar's servants, Oksana and Yulia, to safety.
Oksana has secrets. Secrets she feels she must keep, even from Anton. She is the Grand Duchess of Russia. Anton is loyal to his oath to the Tsar in protecting, who he thinks is a Palace servant.
My Thoughts
Questions were answered from the first book of the series. How the mystery is answered was a master piece of brilliant writing. I was on the edge of my seat as I raced through this book. It was emotional, twists were sharp and the depth was gripping. I will miss the characters that I grew to love. Even though I know this story was fictional I feel I know a little more about the history of Russia. The land and it's people, especially the Royal family of the Tsar is colorful. I will learn more about the history in the months to come. My interest is pregnant and will be delivered. This book was truly a masterpiece, one that I'll remember for a long time.
December 11, 2024
The Secret by Susan May Warren ties up a bunch of loose ends from the previous three books in the series. Readers will enjoy how Warren started with the present day and move backwards in each story in order to tell the families’ history. Makes me want to read them over again, but in the reverse order to understand their family history a little better. Of the four books, this one was my favorite one. Hidden identity. Running from the Russian Government. Royalty. Action picked up more in this addition. Romance is still running pretty hot throughout the novel, but the heroine and hero have to learn to trust each other and then love followed. Overall, The Secret by Susan May Warren does a wonderful job at completing this family saga filled with romance and intrigue. A keeper for the Susan May Warren shelf.
I received a complimentary copy of The Secret by Susan May Warren, but the opinions stated are all my own.
I received a complimentary copy of The Secret by Susan May Warren, but the opinions stated are all my own.
July 26, 2020
Amazing conclusion to a great series. Unlike some, I do NOT recommend reading this series in chronological order. Reading it in the order it was written makes the concluding story so much more fulfilling. It truly is a fitting and satisfying end to this series.
January 17, 2025
Review of The Secret (The Crimson Legacy Book 4)
In this book, the author goes back to 1917 to tell the story of Ekaterina's great-grandparents.
Oksana Terekhova was brought to the royal family of Russia as a child after being orphaned. She grew up alongside their children, serving in personal service. For as long as Olga Romanova, the eldest daughter, can remember, Oksana has been in training to function as her decoy should the need ever arise.
Now, with her father's abdication, Olga must borrow Oksana's name and go into hiding. The tsar has chosen Anton Klassen, a Mennonite farmer, to protect her and the royal crest until the family is safely resettled and out of harm’s way.
Previously published as Oksana and then The Sovereign's Daughter in The Heirs Of Anton, Susan May Warren has republished this series with new covers as The Crimson Legacy. Book 4 is now The Secret, the story of Oksana and Anton. I think this was the best one. I'm not ready for it to end though, as there is still much to learn.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book. I volunteered to read it and write a review.
In this book, the author goes back to 1917 to tell the story of Ekaterina's great-grandparents.
Oksana Terekhova was brought to the royal family of Russia as a child after being orphaned. She grew up alongside their children, serving in personal service. For as long as Olga Romanova, the eldest daughter, can remember, Oksana has been in training to function as her decoy should the need ever arise.
Now, with her father's abdication, Olga must borrow Oksana's name and go into hiding. The tsar has chosen Anton Klassen, a Mennonite farmer, to protect her and the royal crest until the family is safely resettled and out of harm’s way.
Previously published as Oksana and then The Sovereign's Daughter in The Heirs Of Anton, Susan May Warren has republished this series with new covers as The Crimson Legacy. Book 4 is now The Secret, the story of Oksana and Anton. I think this was the best one. I'm not ready for it to end though, as there is still much to learn.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book. I volunteered to read it and write a review.
February 25, 2021
The entire Heirs of Anton series has been such a fun read. Now that I've reached the end, I fear I'm going to miss my new friends. In this book, Anton Klassen finds a man wandering through the woods one night who appears to need help. As it turns out, the man is the Czar of Russia and needs protection for the royal daughters' maid, Oksana, as rebels attempt to overthrow the Czar right before the start of WWI. The task becomes much more challenging than Anton had bargained for, but the woman is beautiful (even with her head shaved and measles spots all over her face.)
Oksana longs to fall in love with Anton but carries with her a secret too dangerous to share.
This story is filled with suspense, intrigue, and romance. I finished the series wishing there was more as I loved the people in the story and enjoyed every minute of reading it.
Oksana longs to fall in love with Anton but carries with her a secret too dangerous to share.
This story is filled with suspense, intrigue, and romance. I finished the series wishing there was more as I loved the people in the story and enjoyed every minute of reading it.
August 6, 2018
Of the four Heir of Anton series, the last one is my favorite. I really enjoyed getting to know and hang out with Anton and Oksana. Their story had the most conflict, and it really captured my attention. The plot moved pretty fast and full of tension. I loved seeing the oldest ancestors' story that I have been waiting to read since the beginning of the series. The only complaint I have is that I wish the Epilogue referenced back to Ekaterina and her story from the first book. The story didn't make a complete circle like I thought it would. It makes a straight line. The story felt incomplete as a series. I still believe fans of the previous three books might enjoy this novel and should read this one. I truly enjoyed it.
March 8, 2019
A thrilling and heart-wrenching ending - or beginning, as it were - to an amazing series full of suspense, faith, and abiding love. You will not want to miss even a single chapter in The Heirs of Anton series. This powerful conclusion that only starts the incredible journey of the Klassen line will break your heart and somehow mend it back together, even better than it was before.
October 30, 2023
I enjoyed reading this and thinking about what it might have been like for the Russian people at that time. I felt the characters were developed fairly well but Gleb didn't seem true to original depiction. It felt awkward. I felt like there were good plot twists but it all seemed predictable for the most part. It provided me a good distraction.
August 5, 2025
Best book in the series.
The entire backwards arch completes with a fun twist and exciting plot.
I have my complaints about some aspects, but would still recommend the series as a light interesting read to others.
The entire backwards arch completes with a fun twist and exciting plot.
I have my complaints about some aspects, but would still recommend the series as a light interesting read to others.
February 3, 2019
I found it a little challenging to read at the beginning because of the switching of characters. I an still slightly confused by the beginning. Overall good book
April 12, 2019
This is a great series but a little confusing as it goes backwards. Starts in present day and follows 4 generations back to 1917. I think I enjoyed it better reading it chronologically.
August 16, 2022
Wonderful
This book and the other 3 as well, are so good. The only suggestion I would have is go start at number 4 and read them backwards. I'm going to go back and read them again.
This book and the other 3 as well, are so good. The only suggestion I would have is go start at number 4 and read them backwards. I'm going to go back and read them again.
June 24, 2024
I definitely did see the ending coming, and then I didn’t like the ending, but the book pulled me in and was a good story!
January 3, 2021
This was my favorite of the series. It had a marriage of convenience theme that I always enjoy. Even though Anton was not the type of hero I normally flip over, the authors wrote him in a way that made him endearing. Loved it.
June 5, 2015
"Oksana", by Susan May Warren with Susan K. Downs is the fourth novel belonging to the Heirs of Anton series. The series follows the faith journey of four generations of a Russian family. Since the series goes backward in time starting with the latest generation, and since this is the fourth book, we have come to the start of the family saga. I began this novel wondering who Anton was, but it soon became apparent after delving into a couple of chapters that I should have been asking who Oksana was.
It is March 3rd, 1917. Anton Klassen accidently meets Tsar Nicholas II in the forest when the train that he is on makes a temporary stop and he steps off the train momentarily in search of some food. The Tsar asks Anton to take on the care of a family servant, Oksana, until the political situation becomes safer, which would permit Oksana's return in service to the Imperial Family. The Tsar also entrusts to Anton the care of the Crest of St. Basil until his mission is finished. Accompanying Oksana is another servant of the Tsar's household, Yulia Petrovna, and her brother, Monk Timofea, who has come from the monastery at Pskov to help Anton escort the two women to safety.
Anton doesn't know quite what to make of Oksana when he meets the servant. He is impressed by her beauty and is puzzled by her regal manner, her fine clothes and her ability to converse in several languages. When the party reaches Petrograd, Anton expects to receive orders soon from the Tsar, directing him to return Oksana to the Imperial Family, but instead finds that political upheaval has spread to this city. Yulia is attacked. The two women fear that the intended target may have actually been Oksana. They realize that it would be best for Yulia and Oksana to separate to make it more difficult to track Oksana. In fear for her safety, Oksana asks Anton if he would be willing to enter into a marriage in name only, so that her identity can be disguised and so that it would allow them to travel together without raising the suspicions of others. Because servants of the Royal Family are not allowed to be married, they would need to have the marriage annulled when the Tsar sends for Oksana. Oksana is confident that the Tsar, who is the head of the Orthodox Church, will allow this to happen.
Just before the marriage, Anton is given a verse by the Lord: Psalm 100:5, which says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." It gives him the confidence to take a step of faith and to enter into a marriage with Oksana, even though he knows that she is looking to leave it in the future. It is a verse that both Anton and Oksana need to cling to, because Oksana is not who she says she is, and the political turmoil caused by the Russian Revolution brings a huge wave of destruction and heartache into their lives.
I had been prepared to read another romantic tragedy, such as the one that I found in "Marina", which is the third volume of the Heirs of Anton. However, I was satisfied with how "Oksana" concluded for Anton and Oksana, except for what happened to their child, Marina.
The author also points out in one of her notes that "Oksana" is a "What If?" story, and is "not a chronicle of history but a fictional parallel to historical events." "Oksana" was published in 2005, and since then, history has revealed what really happened to the person who was represented by the character of Oksana in the novel.
Once I realized who Oksana really was supposed to be, I experienced quite a bit of a reshuffling in my mind about who Marina, Nadia, and Ekaterina were. I wonder, though, if readers will be the only ones who know what special lineage they have, because after reading "Oksana", it becomes apparent that although these women may know of their connection to their forefather, Anton, they may not really know who Oksana was unless Timofea told someone or if Anton made note of it in his journal, which has been referred to throughout the series. This journal, as Anton explains, is a record of his spiritual journey, to be left for his heirs and descendants, so that they might learn from his experiences.
I enjoyed reading the series as a reverse chronology. I think that the revelation of who Oksana really is has a greater impact when read in this order, but it would be interesting to read the series in a forward chronological order and see how different that experience is.
This review is also posted on my blog at
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca
It is March 3rd, 1917. Anton Klassen accidently meets Tsar Nicholas II in the forest when the train that he is on makes a temporary stop and he steps off the train momentarily in search of some food. The Tsar asks Anton to take on the care of a family servant, Oksana, until the political situation becomes safer, which would permit Oksana's return in service to the Imperial Family. The Tsar also entrusts to Anton the care of the Crest of St. Basil until his mission is finished. Accompanying Oksana is another servant of the Tsar's household, Yulia Petrovna, and her brother, Monk Timofea, who has come from the monastery at Pskov to help Anton escort the two women to safety.
Anton doesn't know quite what to make of Oksana when he meets the servant. He is impressed by her beauty and is puzzled by her regal manner, her fine clothes and her ability to converse in several languages. When the party reaches Petrograd, Anton expects to receive orders soon from the Tsar, directing him to return Oksana to the Imperial Family, but instead finds that political upheaval has spread to this city. Yulia is attacked. The two women fear that the intended target may have actually been Oksana. They realize that it would be best for Yulia and Oksana to separate to make it more difficult to track Oksana. In fear for her safety, Oksana asks Anton if he would be willing to enter into a marriage in name only, so that her identity can be disguised and so that it would allow them to travel together without raising the suspicions of others. Because servants of the Royal Family are not allowed to be married, they would need to have the marriage annulled when the Tsar sends for Oksana. Oksana is confident that the Tsar, who is the head of the Orthodox Church, will allow this to happen.
Just before the marriage, Anton is given a verse by the Lord: Psalm 100:5, which says, "For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." It gives him the confidence to take a step of faith and to enter into a marriage with Oksana, even though he knows that she is looking to leave it in the future. It is a verse that both Anton and Oksana need to cling to, because Oksana is not who she says she is, and the political turmoil caused by the Russian Revolution brings a huge wave of destruction and heartache into their lives.
I had been prepared to read another romantic tragedy, such as the one that I found in "Marina", which is the third volume of the Heirs of Anton. However, I was satisfied with how "Oksana" concluded for Anton and Oksana, except for what happened to their child, Marina.
The author also points out in one of her notes that "Oksana" is a "What If?" story, and is "not a chronicle of history but a fictional parallel to historical events." "Oksana" was published in 2005, and since then, history has revealed what really happened to the person who was represented by the character of Oksana in the novel.
Once I realized who Oksana really was supposed to be, I experienced quite a bit of a reshuffling in my mind about who Marina, Nadia, and Ekaterina were. I wonder, though, if readers will be the only ones who know what special lineage they have, because after reading "Oksana", it becomes apparent that although these women may know of their connection to their forefather, Anton, they may not really know who Oksana was unless Timofea told someone or if Anton made note of it in his journal, which has been referred to throughout the series. This journal, as Anton explains, is a record of his spiritual journey, to be left for his heirs and descendants, so that they might learn from his experiences.
I enjoyed reading the series as a reverse chronology. I think that the revelation of who Oksana really is has a greater impact when read in this order, but it would be interesting to read the series in a forward chronological order and see how different that experience is.
This review is also posted on my blog at
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca
June 30, 2025
“Perhaps, finally, I’ve figured out what bravery is—putting someone above myself. Perhaps true courage isn’t about taking up arms at all…but in serving the ones I pledged to love.”
What a fascinating conclusion to the Crimson Legacy series. Now I need to re-read the books backwards to glean all the little details I may have missed. The series was unique in that the reader traveled back in time with each consecutive book, following the lineage of the Klassen women until this book where we discover the how and why of the events that impacted three future generations. I loved the intrigue and suspense, as well as the slow-building romance and the grounding faith.
Oksana was a surprising heroine - strong, capable, and loyal. Anton was also a surprising hero - a Mennonite businessman who ends up fighting a war with steadfast loyalty, love, intelligence, and faith instead of guns at the frontline. I loved his unshakable faith and dedication to God, family and country. I also loved seeing young Timofea and how instrumental he was in guiding the Klassens through generations.
If you enjoy romantic suspense with a historical twist, you will absolutely adore this book and series. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of SDG Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.
What a fascinating conclusion to the Crimson Legacy series. Now I need to re-read the books backwards to glean all the little details I may have missed. The series was unique in that the reader traveled back in time with each consecutive book, following the lineage of the Klassen women until this book where we discover the how and why of the events that impacted three future generations. I loved the intrigue and suspense, as well as the slow-building romance and the grounding faith.
Oksana was a surprising heroine - strong, capable, and loyal. Anton was also a surprising hero - a Mennonite businessman who ends up fighting a war with steadfast loyalty, love, intelligence, and faith instead of guns at the frontline. I loved his unshakable faith and dedication to God, family and country. I also loved seeing young Timofea and how instrumental he was in guiding the Klassens through generations.
If you enjoy romantic suspense with a historical twist, you will absolutely adore this book and series. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of SDG Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.
December 29, 2011
This book is all that I love about historical fiction. It takes actual events and inserts into them a "could have happened." I can only imagine the amount of research it took to write it. With a stirring plot that kept me guessing to wonderful characters, who I grew to love, it sets a tone for an era many don't think about and draws the reader into a world of intrigue and fear. Yet amongst that it highlights the hope given by the love of God and the love between a man and a woman despite class barriers. I found one mistake in identification where one female character's name should have been another, but otherwise the grammar was superb. I found the use of Russian terms to be appropriate. However, I did wish for a glossary at the end of the book or a simple explanation of the terms. Also, though the character's names were correct for the setting of the book, they made it a bit difficult for me to repeatedly read. This is a wonderful book which for any historical fiction fan, I highly recommend.
January 17, 2025
In this book, the author goes back to 1917 to tell the story of Ekaterina's great-grandparents.
Oksana Terekhova was brought to the royal family of Russia as a child after being orphaned. She grew up alongside their children, serving in personal service. For as long as Olga Romanova, the eldest daughter, can remember, Oksana has been in training to function as her decoy should the need ever arise.
Now, with her father's abdication, Olga must borrow Oksana's name and go into hiding. The tsar has chosen Anton Klassen, a Mennonite farmer, to protect her and the royal crest until the family is safely resettled and out of harm’s way.
Previously published as Oksana and then The Sovereign's Daughter in The Heirs Of Anton, Susan May Warren has republished this series with new covers as The Crimson Legacy. Book 4 is now The Secret, the story of Oksana and Anton. I think this was the best one. I'm not ready for it to end though, as there is still much to learn.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book. I volunteered to read it and write a review.
Oksana Terekhova was brought to the royal family of Russia as a child after being orphaned. She grew up alongside their children, serving in personal service. For as long as Olga Romanova, the eldest daughter, can remember, Oksana has been in training to function as her decoy should the need ever arise.
Now, with her father's abdication, Olga must borrow Oksana's name and go into hiding. The tsar has chosen Anton Klassen, a Mennonite farmer, to protect her and the royal crest until the family is safely resettled and out of harm’s way.
Previously published as Oksana and then The Sovereign's Daughter in The Heirs Of Anton, Susan May Warren has republished this series with new covers as The Crimson Legacy. Book 4 is now The Secret, the story of Oksana and Anton. I think this was the best one. I'm not ready for it to end though, as there is still much to learn.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book. I volunteered to read it and write a review.
February 4, 2016
This is an interesting series. It plays out backwards so you go back in time and learn the back stories on previous generations in each successive book. I almost went back to reread them in the opposite order because it left me with questions. But . . . I was a little depressed at the end of this one. The story is well written and the characters are great. It was the brutality and futility of the Bolshevik revolution and the horror that Lenin and Stalin subjected the Russian people to that made me sad. I decided in the end to just move on to a lighter read even though I love historical fiction. This era was not a bright spot in history.
May 3, 2009
What might have happened if Olga Romanov, masquerading as the maid Oksana had been entrusted to the care of a young Mennonite merchant by her father, just as anarchy was occurring in Russia? This is the premise of this story.
The story is melodramatic but somewhat logical. The characters are sympathetic, but there are several scenes which are overly bloody, I thought.
This book was recommended by a woman I met at the bookmobile who was just returning it. She asked if I like mysteries, which I do, but this doesn't fall into that category
The story is melodramatic but somewhat logical. The characters are sympathetic, but there are several scenes which are overly bloody, I thought.
This book was recommended by a woman I met at the bookmobile who was just returning it. She asked if I like mysteries, which I do, but this doesn't fall into that category
June 7, 2014
Powerful story. Choices n decisions would have been extremely hard to make under those circumstances. Stories do filter down about what happened to the Romanov princesses n family whether there is any truth or not God only knows. Interesting factual part for me was about the Mennorites in Ukraine n that the Romanovs had counted on other countries to come to the rescue. Info must have been terribly hard to get in considering the size of Russia. So where are the jewels or is that a mystery to never be found? Witnessing rape n murder (life means nothing) is trauma fullstop.
February 10, 2025
The end of the series, but the beginning of the story. We finally meet Anton Klassen in The Secret. Anton has been a mystery this entire series and to finally get his story was a wonderful end to this legacy story. I felt the pain, frustration and joy of Anton and the Romanov family throughout the story. I love the way the author showed how God works all for good even when we don’t see it at first. I highly recommend The Secret and the rest of The Crimson Legacy series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my own honest opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. This review is my own honest opinion.
September 27, 2012
An interesting take on what might have transpired had the grand duchess Olga Nikolaevna Romanov switched places with her chambermaid, Oksana and lived in her stead. Fast paced with just enough twists to hold the reader's attention and invite a further exploration into the historical events taking place in Russia at the time that inspired this novel.
November 3, 2015
Unexpectedly, I really enjoyed this book. I think what intrigued me most was the time period and setting. Russia has such a fascinating history and I enjoyed reading about it. I also enjoyed the characters of this book. Who couldn't love Anton? I think I might have to read the other books in this series...backwards, I guess since this is the last one.
June 30, 2008
Good story, but not really historically accurate if the History channel is correct. The Russian royal family was portrayed as a wronged and delightful family. Whether I believe that or not, the book was entertaining.
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